Daniel Bustamante was born in south Texas and attended the University of Houston where he became politically active with the MAYO (Mexican American Youth Organization) group and the leftist Raza Unida Party in the late 1960s. Throughout the 1970s,...

Billie Carr came from a family interested in politics. Her interest in politics started in 1950s, when she went to a meeting of the Steel Workers' Union of which her husband was the President, and saw the appalling living conditions of the Chicano...

Leonel Castillo was the first Mexican American elected to citywide office in Houston and the director of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service in Jimmy Carter's cabinet during the 1970’s. Interviewed by Kerry Wince he talks about his work...

From San Antonio, Texas, Raul Castillo worked for the City of Houston in the Affirmative Division. His interest in the Mass Transit problems in Houston goes back in 1970, when he tried to delve into the problems of the bus system. He was the Media...

Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, Raul DeAnda came to Houston in 1967. Having obtained a degree in Business Administration, DeAnda worked at several large companies. His interest in social work led him to get...

Félix Fraga discusses his life as a Hispanic growing up in Houston; race relations; his work as a social worker; and his long career at Ripley House, a recreational, educational and health center in Houston founded in 1940.

Patricia Gandy describes her experiences as a Democratic party organizer in the Pasadena and Deer Park areas of Texas. She was chairperson of the Harris County Democrats and also ran for Deer Park city council where she was subsequently elected to...

Dick Gottlieb was a former TV entertainer who decided to run for city council in 1969. He beat the incumbent in a run-off election achieving an upset victory. He credited his TV image and prior experience as a fundraiser for local and national...